The design focus of mops, brooms, manual tools and other such implements often involves the joining of an elongate handle to a base. Accomodation of various movements of the handle relative to the base, and the capability to releasably position or lock the handle may be desirable to optimize the utility of the implement.
The flexible joining of a mop head to a handle, for example, is conventionally provided by use of a universal couple. A dust mop generally is constructed with an elongate handle, and a planar base interconnected with a universal joint to enable the positioning of the handle at any selected angle as the base is wiped across a floor surface.
The flexibility of a universal couple is advantageously used in such applications being able to accommodate rapid changes in relative orientation between joined members without discernible resistance, as well as being durable and easily manufactured.
Ironicly, the flexibility of a universal couple is also the primary disadvantage of its use in such implements. A conventional mop is not self supporting when not in use. Generally the mop handle is placed leaning against a wall or against furniture for support, with the flat base resting upon the adjacent floor.
A mop handle generally has a smooth even polished finish since it is repeatedly manually handled. As a result, the smooth handle often falls over by sliding down the wall or along the edge of furniture upon which it leans for support. The base may also slide along the floor under the weight of the leaning handle. The universal joint, smooth handle and smooth wall or furniture surface offer little resistance to sliding. Therefore, the mop user is forced to find a corner within which the handle may be securely supported. Laying the handle down upon the floor is often impractical, and forces the user to repeatedly stoop over to recommence use of the mop.
The process of delicately balance a leaning mop handle, moving away from the work area to find a supporting corner, picking up a fallen handle, and risking damage to adjacent furnishings from a falling handle, is an aggravating problem for commercial and household users which has spawned a number of ingenious solutions.
Unfortunately conventional solutions often merely introduce further problems due to their complexity. Household mops and other such household implements are low cost items which do not justify the expense of complex mechanisms, and may be discarded if broken since repair is impractical or spare parts unavailable. The response of the purchaser to breakage or increased expense would likely be to purchase a competing product.
Heavy duty commercial or industrial mops may justify a higher initial cost, however the more complex a joint mechanism is, the more likely it is to require maintenance. Such commercial mops must be rugged and withstand heavy abusive handling. Complex joint mechanisms which attract dirt deposits, require increased maintenance, and add cost are not practical or cost effective.
As a result, the simple universal coupling remains an industry standard despite its disadvantages. Conventional solutions, to the falling mop handle dilemma, have not proven to be any better on balance.
An example of a conventional dust mop is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,325,598 to Fatland a handle is pivoted on a horizontal pin to a dust mop base via an inverted spring loaded cap. The cap can rotate in a ferrule in the center of the base to lock into radial notches in the ferrule. As a result the handle may be rotated about the ferrule between fixed positions. The handle may be raised and lowered between an upright position and an acute working angle by rotating about the horizontal pivoting pin. The pin is disengaged from the ferrule notches, against the biasing action of the cap spring, by the provision of a cam at the bottom end of the dust mop handle. The joint between the handle and base therefore can not be considered a true universal coupling, since in order to rotate the mop handle about a vertical axis, it is necessary first to disengage the pivot pin from locking engagement with the notches of the ferrule. As well the cam surface of the handle's inner end, combined with the biasing force of the cap spring, introduces an instability in the positioning of the handle tending to rotate it downwardly about the pivot pin. This instability is more pronounced if even a minor eccentricity in the location of the pivot pin on the handle is introduced in manufacturing. As a result balancing the dust mop handle in a stable upright position is difficult if not impossible.
A single pivot pin attaches a handle to a floor sweeper device in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,720,974 to Rosendale. The pivot pin allows the handle to rotate about a single horizontal axis on ears upwardly projecting from the body of the floor sweeper. Slots are cut in the floor sweeper body between the ears which interact with the cam shaped lower end of the handle. As a result the handle is spring loaded to enhance its stability in an upright position.
Another example of a conventional household implement is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,122 to Hesener relating to a handle for a handmop used for cleaning household crockery. The handle and a base are joined with a pin to rotate about a single axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle. A cam surface of the base interacts with the open mouth of an inverted U shaped spring to lock the handle in various relative angular orientations.
From the above described examples of conventional implements it appears heretofore considered necessary to either forego the advantages of a universal coupling or to introduce unacceptable complexity in the design and manufacturing of otherwise very simple implements.
It is therefore desirable to provide a simply constructed and easily maintained free standing implement such as a mop with an elongate handle and a base adapted to support the mop with the handle in a free standing upright position.